Finished?

[RyanN]

I'm not sure if this beer is finished or not and can't find a clear cut calculator to tell me. Here's the recipe:


7 lbs golden light liquid extract
2 lbs breiss golden light dry extract
12 ounces 60L crystal malt grain

Hops, all Centennial,
1.75 ounces added at boil (60 min)
1.25 ounces added at 45 min left in boil
.5 added at 20 min left in boil
.5 added at 10 min left in boil

OG 1.074

The FG I came up with is a max of 1.022 and a min of 1.018.....star san seemed to contribute to the hydrometer reading.

Thank you!

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

What strain of yeast?

Did you taste the hydrometer sample?

What temperature was it fermented at?

 

[RyanN]

Safale-05
Yes, hydrometer sample seemed "fine" not overly sweet or bitter
Ambient room temp was around 65, fermentation was extremely quick 24-36 hours.

 

[Yooper]

Some yeast strains are more attenuative than others. If you used a well-attenuating ale yeast, I'd think you could reasonably expect around 1.014-1.019. It really depends on the yeast strain you chose.

 

[Yooper]

With S05, you can expect it to attenuate to 70-75%, but I've had it go to over 78%. So, that would be in the area of 1.016-1.021, if my math is right.

 

[RyanN]

Okay total noob question here but I apparently have no idea on how to properly check my hydrometer. I thought I'd recheck, it's been a week (3 ferment total) since racking to secondary and I got a 1.030 reading (roughly). Last week I had a 1.040 reading initially. I don't remember having this problem previously but maybe that's because my second reading was always below 1.010? So, tonight and last week I shook/swirled the hydrometer in my thief and that made a huge difference but I'm not sure what is accurate? Tonight I went from 1.030 to 1.006 just by swirling.......carbonation? I'm lost on this one......I'll be sure to make sure I taste test though

 

[Crazytwoknobs]

check to see if clean water is 1.000.

If you're not detecting sweetness and it's been more than 10 days, it's probably done. Go ahead and bottle.

 

[Yooper]

Sometimes bubbles from the co2 in solution "hold up" the hydrometer so it's good to spin it around a bit. But something doesn't seem right. It is hard to believe that recipe and yeast strain would go that low.

The hydrometer isn't sticking to the sides of the test jar is it? It should be free floating.

I'd check it in plain tap water to see what kind of readings you get.

 

[RyanN]

I appreciate the quick help. I'm not sure what's affecting my reading but I feel pretty comfortable saying it's 1.018 (Yooper, you were correct). I just tasted it again, it's definitely not sweet or bitter, almost has a liquor flavor to it. I feel confident based on the previous batches this will turn out okay, although the alcohol content is obviously higher

 

[RyanN]

check to see if clean water is 1.000.

If you're not detecting sweetness and it's been more than 10 days, it's probably done. Go ahead and bottle.

Yes, it's 1.000 at 60 degrees.

 

[RyanN]

Sometimes bubbles from the co2 in solution "hold up" the hydrometer so it's good to spin it around a bit. But something doesn't seem right. It is hard to believe that recipe and yeast strain would go that low.

The hydrometer isn't sticking to the sides of the test jar is it? It should be free floating.

I'd check it in plain tap water to see what kind of readings you get.

Honestly I think it was quite carbed in the secondary, the amount of bubbles in the thief seems to push the hydrometer up in solution. I corrected by leaving it sit in the empty "slots" in the dishwasher, it then came back to 1.018 which would be in the high or middle ground attenuation of the yeast, correct? Max temp it could have reached would be 68 in dishwasher, basement is colder. Sounds like I'll be bottling this into the lineup soon? Thanks for all the help.....it's the weekend, I'm having a good time, hope you are too!